Never Wake a Sleeping Bear
by WerlynTellsNoTales
Summary: Alone and cold, Willow Ironwood is determined to fight with tooth and claw for survival as she makes her way north from Yellowstone to Jasper. When she arrives, she finds a measure of peace. Yet she still struggles with her twisted mind. 'T' is for violence mostly, but also some (very) minor sexual themes. Oh, also swearing. PLEASE LEAVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. DO IT. SERIOUSLY.
1. Chapter 1: Into the unknown

**Chapter 1: Into the Unknown**

 **"** **Never pick a fight with a man who has lost everything, for he has nothing more to lose."**

"Willow Ironwood!"

The pup looked up with a bored, cynical expression. Her father, an alpha in the Yellowstone pack, did not seem as amused.

"Do you know what you did?"

"I know what I did, but I don't know what you're referring to. I've done a lot of things."

The older wolf buried his face in his paws.

"I'm trying to stay calm here. You caused a stampede. You ran an angry bear right into a herd of deer," Came his muffled voice.

Willow rolled her pine-green eyes.

"He was chasing me. There was nowhere else to go. What was I supposed to do?"

The alpha reached out with his hands as if to choke her, but stopped himself.

"You were 'supposed' to NOT POKE THE BEAR WITH A STICK WHILE IT WAS SLEEPING!"

"It was more of a branch really."

The adult pounced at the pup. Willow held her ground.

"What are you gonna do, banish me?" she teased.

"Yes," Said the alpha, his snout once more buried in his paws. Willow stumbled, the mocking grin wiped off her face.

"What?" she whispered weakly. Her father was prone to anger attacks, but he never let his mood affect his decisions. And he never lied.

"I… I'm sorry," he said, struggling to keep himself from crying. "I had no choice. The other alphas agree that it's the only course to take. I can't speak to you anymore!" the mighty wolf turned and limped away, sobbing.

Willow still stood there, stiff as a statue. The clouds began to break, and she shook herself as a drop of rain landed on her nose. With a sudden realisation, she saw that she was alone in the melting snow and petrified trees. Her shock turned to fear.

But there was also a spark of excitement in her heart…

Two years later, Willow still could not help but look back at that earth-shattering day. She was no longer a pup, her coat was no longer clean and well kept. It had grown long, frayed and wild. She was malnourished, but not overly so. And she was strong, despite being thin. Her eyes had acquired a ravenous glint over the years. Yellowstone was a tranquil place, but treat it the wrong way, and you would soon find that it had an unforgiving side. Drink the wrong water, breathe the wrong air, and you would soon find yourself sick. Not much of a problem when you're in a pack, but for someone like Willow, such a sickness could be deadly. It was a surprise then that she was still alive let alone doing well for herself, because Willow was not a cautious wolf. In fact, there wasn't much that scared her. It was a weakness disguised as a strength. It got her into trouble more often than she could remember.

On this day, she had just hunted successfully. A stag had fallen to her claws and fangs, and the drying gore that caked her neck complimented the crumbling mud that made her ankles and the tip of her tail brown. Her paws were clean only because she was trudging northward in the last few centimetres of melting snow. As she walked, she thought back on the day she was banished, and smiled. Fate had given her the hardest path a wolf can take, and she had made the best of it. She loved her life. It was more exciting than life in a pack, especially as she was supposed to be an omega, and had always preferred the thrill of the hunt. She glanced to the right and then looked again.

There, in the shadows by a bush, lurked a pair of red eyes, almost glowing in the darkness. The creature to which the eyes belonged began to growl, and Willow froze as recognition washed over her.

"I know that growl," she said with a hollow voice.

The sound ceased, and her father stepped out of the dark.

"And I know those eyes. Willow, you need to run."

"Run? Why sho-"

The older wolf advanced on the girl, quickly picking up speed. She turned on the frozen ground, and began to flee. She had a head start, but her father was faster. For several minutes they chased each other, ducking and weaving through pines and rocks.

"I'm sorry!" wheezed her father. He sprang at her, and she dodged, kicking a pebble at her assailant. Having once more gained a lead, she resumed her course. It seemed random, but she knew where she was going. She looked at the landscape around her to make sue she was still going the right way.

"Rocks of white… like stars in the night… must turn right…" she huffed as she saw the two snowy boulders. She slid in between them and let her hind legs drift to the left. Having completed her turn, she jumped over a stream and began sliding down a steep slope. On the way down, she picked up a fist-sized rock and held it in her mouth. At the base of the hill, she kept running, her father snapping at her tail. Suddenly, he tripped and she managed to gain some ground. She ran past a cave and as she did, she threw the rock inside with a thump. Doing so caused her to lose her footing, and she slid on her back to a stop three meters beyond the opening. She watched as her father advanced on her.

"Dad wait! I've got something important to tell you!" she shouted.

"What?" he asked through gritted teeth. Willow smirked.

"Never wake a sleeping bear, lest your head off he should tear."

The older wolf's pupils shrank, he tucked his tail between his legs and pressed his ears flat against his neck. A large, brown mass of fur, claws and teeth sprinted out of the cave and knocked him out of sight with a yammering yap. Willow scrambled to her feet, ran, and kept running until her legs gave out, leaving all the painful memories of her childhood behind her.

North and further north she trotted, until she was sure she would soon fall off the world and become a second moon.

North, ever north, until she pushed through the underbrush and suddenly found herself standing on a human road, by a little human watering hole. 'Eat Food Get Gas' the sign said. Hungry beyond measure, she decided to investigate.


	2. Chapter 2: Into the Fire

**Chapter 2: Into the fire (922)**

 **"** **If you ever find yourself on top of a cliff, do it. Jump. You will either find your wings or have the best flight of your life"**

"Beware, beware where humans tread. For there, for there hope turns to dread. With drug-tipped dart and cage of steel he will enforce his iron will." Willow cautioned herself in an undertone as she crept towards the fence. She crouched under an RV as a group of people exited the shop and headed for a car. Suddenly, the family's dog stopped, sniffed the air, and looked directly at her.

"Back off, you domesticated filth" she growled, and the little pug shrank back and ran back to his owners. As the engine started up and the car began to move, Willow sniffed the air. She left her hiding place and began to glance around, mumbling:  
"…But bounty oft' in danger lies, if you but look for-" her stomach grumbled and her lips parted in a triumphant smile as she saw what she had been searching for.

"-Swarming flies!"

Checking if the coast was clear, she scampered across the window's field of vision. Before her, there lay three bins. They were armoured, with steel lids. 'Bear-B-Gone' it said on the side of one. Willow chuckled.

"I am no bear."

She reached her paw into the covered latch and pulled the handle. With a click, the closure slid open. She reached for the black plastic bag inside and pulled it clear. For safety, she dragged it far away from the store and into the woods. The sun began his slow descent as she scanned the contents of the sack for anything edible. When she was done, she ran on until deep into the night. Finally, when her legs felt weak and her eyelids heavy, she curled up at the roots of a strong pine and slipped into a shallow sleep torn with flashing nightmares…

 _Darkness. Suddenly, a bright light. She looked up, and noticed that she was still a pup._

 _"_ _What are you gonna do, banish me?" she could hear herself ask._

 _"_ _Banishment isn't even nearly enough! I'm gonna kill you!" her father growled, and he grabbed her between his jaws and shook the life out of her limbs..._

 _Another flash of white. She was standing by a grotto, a stick in her mouth. She giggled, as she entered. 'Never wake a sleeping bear' they had told her. They had said it was dangerous. Well, she was going to show them that she wasn't afraid. Ahead, she saw what she presumed was the creature. It was dark and she could hardly see, but she could make out the pitch-black fur. On top of that, the smell of rotting veal was unmistakable. Trembling with excitement, she took the stick and shoved it with all her might into the bear's grey nose. The creature made a satisfying 'Meep' noise, then stormed out of the cave like a cannonball, frothing at the mouth. Willow pressed herself against the wall and the beast charged past her, obviously looking for a bigger attacker. Suddenly, it lost grip on the forest floor and rolled down a hill toward the gorge where she had previously seen a heard of deer. It held onto the ledge, and Willow cautiously walked over to it._

 _"_ _You?" the bear asked, incredulous. Willow nodded, and the bear fell. The deer screamed and scattered in panic._

 _'_ _uh-oh.' Thought Willow, as the ground began to quake…_

The wolf ripped open her eyes, trembling. She stood up on shaking legs.

"Whispers in the night, can give me no fright." She tried to tell herself. But even as she spoke the words, she knew they were not true. Her head was full of thoughts, and she was aware that she could not fall asleep again that night, so she kept walking, following the human's Road. To Willow, every shadow the moon cast under he pines was bear-shaped, every rush of wind through the needles the breath of an attacker, every flower in the grass an ever-watching eye. She remembered dark tales of Timberwolves, trolls and monsters, and her heart began to quicken. Starting to freak out, and with nowhere to hide, she did what she always had: she bolted.

Behind her, she heard the roar of a massive fiend running her down. She glanced back and caught a brief glimpse of blood-red fur and glowing white eyes. She doubled her pace.

"fight, little wolf… there are some things you cannot outrun" the wind whispered to her in the woods.

"WILLOW!" thundered the monster. As it came within twenty meters, Willow realised that it was hopeless to flee. Exhausted and defeated, she let herself fall onto the tarmac. The thing screeched in triumph and let out a war cry. Willow closed her eyes as she prepared herself for death.

The car came to a stop one meter in front of her. It was the personal vehicle of a park ranger, returning to his cabin after a night out with his friends. He saw the wolf lying on her side, fur ruffled and quivering, and decided to call his boss.

Willow felt the jaws of the beast grasp her. They were surprisingly gentle. It walked around with her for a few seconds, then swallowed her. Blackness engulfed the already dark world as it swallowed her. **Dink**. She opened her eyes in surprise. The thing's stomach was metal. And it had holes in it! She pressed her eye against them and saw the road and trees moving past at an alarming rate. She wondered where it was going, but no answer came to her. Finally, fatigue overcame her and she fell asleep once more.


	3. Chapter 3: To Hell and Back

**Chapter 3: To Hell and Back (1052)**

 **"** **Leaders who offer freedom never bring it. True freedom only exists when you disregard leaders altogether and take control of your own fate."**

Willow knew she had to get up, but she did not have the strength. Not surprising, considering she'd sprinted all the way from Yellowstone to… wherever this place was.

"You ran all the way here from Yellowstone?" her emerald eyes snapped open. Above her, stood a snow-white she wolf. "That's pretty impressive" she said.

"How do you know that?" Willow managed to ask.

"Umm… because you just said so. And 'this place' is Jasper. I'm Lilly by the way. What's your name?"

"Names… Names are a relative thing, my girl. A bear might call me prey, to a deer I am known as death. To grass, the soft touch as I walk by. To the moon I am nothing at all," whispered the outcast, looking in Lilly's direction, but straight through her. The white wolf looked confused.

"The human drugs should have worn off by now. There must have been some sort of mistake. I-"

"I'm afraid I don't get any more normal than this," Willow interrupted with a chuckle. "Did my answer not please you?"

"Not really, no," Lilly admitted shyly. Willow's eyes focused on her face, and the grey wolf smiled kindly.

"Well, then you were asking the wrong question. If you'd asked me what you should call me, I would have said Willow. Willow Ironwood. How did I get here?"

"A human dropped you off in a clearing just south of here two days ago. Beyond that, I don't know. Do you know when and where the human caught you?"

Willow shook her head.

"The last thing I remember is running away from one of their shops with a red beast with bright white eyes. It ate me, and ran on. Its stomach was made of metal."

Lilly cocked her head.

"A car?"

"A what?"

"It's a machine the humans use to get around faster. It sounds to me like the ranger found you by the roadside, drugged you, locked you in a box and shipped you to us. He must have thought you were part of our pack."

"Part of your- no. Nonono. Nonononono. I need to go. They'll catch me if I don't. I've already lost too much time."

"What you've lost is too much blood. You're not going anywhere until you recover."

"Blood?" asked Willow quietly. She looked down and found a large gash on her chest. She shrank back.

"Whoa. How'd you get there?" she asked the wound. She flexed her chest muscles so the wound appeared like a mouth, opening and closing.

"Well, you see, you remember when you tripped over that rock and got your fur caught on a tree? Well, your skin decided to come off too." She mimed, a trickle of blood running down her ribs.

"STOP! You're hurting yourself!" cried Lilly, springing to her feet. Willow gave two hysterical barks of laughter, and blacked out.

Slowly lifting a heavy eyelid, Willow surveyed her surroundings. Arranged in a circle around here, there stood two-dozen wolves, all facing her, all howling with their heads raised high. At least, they should have been howling. The issue was that she heard nothing at all. She knocked on the side of her head with a paw. Her ears were filled with a high-pitch blast, and then the wolves' lamentations washed through her like a flood breaking a dam.

Sitting up, she looked around once more. Nobody was paying her any attention, their gazes fixated on the stars.

"WILL SOMEBODY _PLEASE_ TELL ME WHAT, IN THE NAME OF THE SUN AND MOON, IS GOING ON HERE?" she screamed as the keening reached a particularly high note, sending a shiver down her spine.

Twenty-four heads snapped down to look at her. Several wolves ran in shock, others simply stared, slack jawed and wide eyed.

"Well?" she inquired, tapping her paws on the ground. An older looking she-wolf fainted.

"Got nothing to say, have you? You wouldn't mind if I leave, then? Because, frankly, this whole situation is majorly creepy. No? No objections?"

"Wait! Come with us."

She wheeled around and saw a serious-looking grey wolf, next to a remarkably attractive female alpha.

'Oh my,' she thought, admiring her golden coat and sharp claws. 'Might as well go with them. Leave a path untraveled, leave your fate unravelled.'

She set off at a slow trot toward the pair. The canines between them scrammed as she came close.

"What's up with _them_? They're like rabbits before the fox."

"Well, until a minute ago, you were kinda…" said the grey wolf

The golden alpha stepped in: "Dead. You were dead. We were just giving you the funeral of a true wolf, when you just stood up. They think they've seen a ghost."

"Ha! I've died eighteen times already." Scoffed Willow. "I'm Willow. Willow ironwood. What should I call you?" The male eyed her with distrust.

"I'm Humphrey, and this is my wife, Kate." He said, swelling with pride.

"Of course she's married. Always too late, such is my fate", mumbled Willow. Then, louder, she said: "Unusual, for an alpha and an omega to marry. Where I'm from, at least. I'm happy for you though. You both seem content. But anyway, that's none of my business. I need to leave. I'm being pursued, and I don't want to place you all in danger."

"Pursued? By whom?" asked Kate, no longer smiling.

"By my pack. Those I once called family now bay for my blood. I run faster than them, but they'll catch up eventually unless I keep running."

"Your whole pack?" asked Humphrey.

"No, only three alphas from what I could smell. But I know them, and they don't mess around."

"Stay with us. They'll be no match for our whole pack." Urged Kate.

"You would put yourself in peril for a stranger?" inquired Willow incredulously.

"Of course!"

"Well, that's very sweet of you. Really, it is. But these guys are like nothing you've ever seen. I feel like I need to warn you."

"It's still three wolves against an entire pack," Humphrey insisted.

"Then I'd be glad to stay for a while. I thank you for your generosity." Willow hugged first Humphrey, then Kate. She lingered for a while in the alpha's embrace.

'I need to get to know this wolf better, curse the outcome, for it does not matter.' She thought.


	4. Chapter 4: The Beast Inside

**Chapter 4: The Beast Inside (1091)**

 **"** **To watch your tail so that you, or others, do not step on it. That's what friends are for."**

 **-Skarr**

"Erenyunr, hep raika ardiairayerene. Kenethaur, kenelke rufr. Hep raikaelke, erutydia. Aren!"

Willow sat up and pricked her ears.

"Who said that?" she asked. Lilly got up and sauntered over to her. Willow had decided to move in with her and Garth because they lived in the open rather than in a cave. She was still adapting to life in a pack, and preferred to stay away from it, at least while sleeping.

"You. What does it mean?" queried Lilly, tilting her head.

"I did? I don't know. But I know it means something. It didn't feel like I said it. Ah well, guess I did."

"Well, whatever it means, it sounds beautiful."

"Hmm."

Together, they climbed a rock and surveyed a clearing.

"The omegas are teaching the pups to fend for themselves. They are showing them what they can and cannot eat," Lilly pointed out. Willow spectated with fixated gaze as a chubby brown wolf played with eight pups at once. A beaming grin spread across her face as the watched them roll around, giggling. She wanted to join them, but her gravitas held her. Her grin gave way to a melancholy grimace as she compared the pup's childhood to her own. She turned away and lay down on the rock, her mood fouled.

Shillelagh, Khopesh and Gladius peeked over the edge of a precipice. They set eyes upon a clearing, and resting on a rock they saw their target; the Ironwood girl. Beside her stood a weak looking omega. Apart from that, she seemed to be alone. Gladius signalled, and the three slinked away, looking for a way down. A minute later, the muscular alphas crept through the ferns and tall grass, approaching the boulder.

"Lilly, run. Get reinforcements." Instructed Willow through gritted teeth. The wind had shifted and she had caught a whiff of her three pursuers. The snowy wolf took off, howling for help.

"You should wash more, you know!" she shouted towards the underbrush. "You always did stink, Shillelagh. Kinda gives your position away." She knew the wolf well, and she knew that he did not take kindly to insults.

"I can barely smell you guys, Gladius and Khopesh. You need to have a serious word with this guy if you ask me. He'll cost you the hunt at this rate."

There was a menacing bark of laughter, like rolling thunder.

"Willow Ironwood," came the voice again, deep and suave, almost like a purr. It was Gladius. "You are charged with the murder of your father, Sap Ironwood, and found guilty. The punishment is death. But not before we've had some fun with you."

Willow felt Khopesh pick her up from behind, his teeth nearly piercing the skin of her neck. She knew that he would break her spine if she resisted. She could do nothing but hang there like a puppet with its strings cut.

That night at their camp, Shillelagh and Khopesh held her still, belly up. Gladius loomed over her, leaning close to her face.

"Now remember," said Gladius, "the more you resist, the longer we keep you alive."

Willow's face contorted in disgust and distress as the alpha slowly dragged his tongue across her face, from the tip of her snout to her forehead. She opened her mouth in shock as he gored her in the left thigh with an icy claw. A sickening grin spread across his face as he sucked the blood off the tool.

"Yun eld wrest! Yun eld eren! Hep eld solanus arjur! We eld ur! WE ELD UR! Raiur! Raiur!" yelped Willow, struggling against the unyielding grip of her assailants. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" she shouted at herself, arching her back. Then she went limp, panting.

Gladius leaned against a log.

"Well then. Looks like we can drop the torture, boys. She's already crazy."

The three of them began to chuckle.

Willow's head snapped around and focussed with steely eyes on Gladius.

"And out from the night, the shadows take flight and with fang and claw, your skin they'll make raw," She whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Quit your babbling, or I'll-" started Gladius, baring his fangs. Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly grew concerned as a twig snapped behind Khopesh.

"What was that?" he asked.

"They pounce out unseen and skewer your spleen. They'll open your neck, your organs they'll wreck. Your paws they will tie until you run dry."

There was a rustling in the bushes.

"Err, boss?" asked Shillelagh, shifting his stance. Gladius' mane stood on end.

"Their claws are like knives, so run for your lives. No mercy they'll show. No pity they know."

Willow's poem became a rhythmic chant as the verses flowed over her lips like water in the spring melt.

"This isn't the last time we will meet, Willow Ironwood," gulped Gladius, trying to maintain a measure of dignity.

"The tongs and the hammer, the dying's last yammer. On your bones they will gorge in the heat of the forge."

The three Yellowstone wolves bolted, fleeing at full speed towards their home.

"You can come out now. They've gone!" sang Willow, and from the brushwood came Lilly and Garth, her husband.

"Great job out there, both of you. We scared the tails right off their arses" she laughed.

"Yeah, but they'll be back. And they'll be angry." Warned Garth. He was the pack's biggest alpha, but even those three still dwarfed him. "You'd better not stray anywhere alone."

The three of them trotted (or in Willow's case limped) back to the pack leader's cave, where Kate and Humphrey paced in circles in apprehension. Noticing their arrival, Kate rushed over and hugged first Lilly, then Garth, then Willow. The pressure on her wound was excruciating, but she did not complain.

"Careful Kate. You're… you're getting blood on your fur," she blushed. Kate pulled away and apologized. She moved in closer and inspected the damage. It was a narrow wound, but deep. At least an inch.

"Tooth or claw?" she asked.

"Claw."

"I see. Lilly, can you do something about this?" The snow-white omega moved in to take a look.

"Oh dear. This will NOT be easy. The best I can do is stop it from becoming infected. I don't know if the muscle will ever fully heal."

All the energy seemed to leave Willow.

"Are you saying I may never be able to run properly again?" she said, panting.

"No, not that," Said Lilly hurriedly. "Your running should not be affected. But you might get a limp."

"Thanks to the fates and the world they made," said Willow, somewhat relieved.


	5. Chapter 5: A Blank Page

**Chapter 5: A Blank Page (1001)**

 **"** **If anyone ever tries to tell you what to do, show him what you're capable of."**

They had all agreed that it was a bad idea for Willow to sleep alone, so she spent the night with Kate and Humphrey. She tossed and turned, struggling to subdue her unruly thoughts. After what seemed like hours, Kate shifted her position, and the alpha's arm dropped over her shoulders. Willow blushed, but then relaxed her muscles. Before long, she was asleep.

When she awoke in the early hours of the morning, she found herself lying on her back with Kate's foreleg resting on her chest. Not wanting to disturb her, she lay there staring the celling and enjoying the contact. Eventually, she looked past Kate and saw Humphrey stretch and stand up. Seeing that she was awake, he gestured to come with him with a smile, and left the cave. Tentatively, Willow took Kate's arm and placed it on the ground. She rose and hitched out of the opening after him. Outside, they made their way down the hill and into the clearing.

"What's up?" asked Willow cheerfully.

"Just wondering how the pack life's treating you."

The she-wolf stepped up to a pond and studied her reflection. Her chin and neck were still encrusted with dried blood. Her graphite fur was longer and more dishevelled than ever. But her claws were sharp and her teeth were clean, and that was all that mattered to her. She looked up and saw Humphrey standing next to her, and remembered that he had asked her a question.

"I'm not sure yet. It's very… different," she replied. "It feels strange not to have to do anything."

Humphrey lifted his head and laughed:

"You're a guest! Normally you'd be doing all sorts of stuff."

Willow raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? What 'sorts of stuff' does an omega do? I mean, I get that we're required to maintain pack order, but we don't exactly have responsibilities. That's one of the reasons I was kicked out of my home. I refused to know my place, always acting like an alpha. No, the life of an omega is not for me. And since I can't be an alpha, I'll stick to being a lone wolf."

"Hmm. I'll have a word with Kate. She's leaving for a hunt today, and she might be able to take you along. I can't make any promises though. As our marriage proves, we like to bend a few rules here and there." Assured Humphrey. Willow hugged him, thanking him vigorously.

"I've always wanted to take part in a real pack hunt," she whispered, teary eyed.

"I can't make any promises, but I don't think she'll mind having you along."

"Along for what?" yawned Kate, entering the glade. Humphrey explained the situation and Kate listened with unerring attention. When he was done, she smiled.

"We'd be honoured to have a mighty huntress such as yourself with us. In fact, there may be something you can teach us."

Willow jumped and squeezed her, murmuring: "I will teach you all I know," into the alpha's fur. Kate cast an uneasy glance at Humphrey, which he returned.

The grey omega felt very out of place standing shoulder to shoulder with the pack's alphas. They were all taller, more muscular than her. Most were male. In front of them, Kate paced up and down, anxious to get started. She was waiting for Candu. The stout, dark wolf eventually showed up, made his excuses and joined the line.

"Right," said Kate, standing straight with furrowed eyebrows, "Now that we're all here, we can get started. A herd of caribou have been spotted grazing in the western fields. Grass there's short and there's little cover, but we should be able to cut them off and herd them into the river. They should be easy prey then."

"Aren't they always?" someone joked, and the group chuckled

"NO! They're not!" growled Kate, stamping her paw on the ground, "The moment we think that is the moment we go home hungry. Hutch! The first rule of hunting!"

Hutch stepped forward and recited:

"Never attack your prey until you are sure that it _is_ prey."

"Good. Now let's move out. We'll discuss more when we get there."

They trotted briskly westward, and as Lilly had promised, Willow's leg held up. It was noon then they arrived.

"Tubaki, Garth, go 'round the north. Make sure they don't flee that way. Candu, Hutch and Willow, do the same in the south. Cut them off at the rapids. The rest of us will move in in two minutes, so be ready."

"Oh great, we get to babysit the shiny." Grumbled Candu.

"At least she's not completely blue," Whispered Hutch, "has experience."

"Experience… Scars… they are one and he same," mused Willow as she caught up with them. She decided to walk between them, as they seemed very on-edge. The three stayed just under the shadows of the treeline as they edged around the field. In the distance they saw their prey, obliviously grazing away. Willow looked up, and froze.

"Get down!" she whispered. Candu and Hutch stopped in their tracks and followed her eyes to the trees.

"Were stopping… because of a blue-jay?" sighed Candu.

"Yes of course we are," willow hissed, "now will you be quiet? We need to go around."

"Is there any reason we can't just… not go around?" asked hutch, speaking slowly with a hint of sarcasm.

"Thrice short, once long, the blue-jay's song will warn the prey of wolves nearby."

"This is stupid," said Candu, and he walked on.

 **Clack clack clack Cheeeep**

Around them, the woods went deathly quiet. The wolf paused mid step and looked up. The bird cocked its head at him with intelligent eyes. He turned his gaze to the Caribou and saw that they too were looking up, and in their direction, though they were too far away to see them. Willow gave him an exasperated glare.

Silently, they crept past to the river, and hid behind a rock next to the foaming white water.


	6. Chapter 6: Back in Control

**Chapter 6: Back in Control (567)**

 **"** **There will always be those who doubt you. Prove them wrong."**

Kate took a deep breath. Ahead, the herd of caribou stood straight. Something in the south had alerted them. They would now be on the lookout for several more hours. She pounded the ground in frustration. She calmed herself and took another look at the animals. With a start, she noticed that whatever had roused them was still occupying her attention. She got the attention of her alphas and ordered them to make their way around the north of the animals. She had hoped to avoid forcing the prey into the rapids as it made their job ten times more dangerous, but it looked like the only option. When in position, the wolves jumped on the rearmost caribou, howling. The animals screeched and bolted, galloping southwards.

Realising their queue, Candu, Willow and Hutch leaped out from their hiding place and made as much noise as possible. The animals had nowhere to go but the rushing waters. Raising their heads high above the splashes, they did their best to swim through the fast-moving, chest-high water. Willow heard the frantic rasping of breath of the lead animal as she sprang at it, landing just behind its head. The caribou's muscles trembled under her paws and its eyes rolled with fear. When it had almost reached the other side of the river, she gripped its neck with her jaw and directed it back around, stopping the other animals in their tracks. Candu, Hutch and a few others soon joined her on the opposite shore. The caribou had nowhere to go; to the north, the current was too strong. South of them were the rapids and sharp rocks, and to both sides were wolves. The alphas separated half a dozen of the prey and cut their throats.

Kate called for Willow, who swam back across the river and shook herself. The golden alpha looked savage and fierce, covered in blood as she was. By contrast, Willow was clean for a change. No trace remained of the dried gore that usually coated her neck and lower jaw. The mud that caked her paws and the tip of her tail was also gone.

"Lessons learned, tables turned," said Willow.

"What?" asked Kate.

"Nothing. You wanted to say something?"

"Just wanted to congratulate you. Those were some amazing moves out there. I learned a lot. The way you manipulated that caribou… you'll have to teach me that some day, you know?"

Willow looked at the ground and kicked a pebble, blushing.

"It was nothing."

"No, it wasn't. You saved our hunt. They would have gotten away if you hadn't done that."

"Anyone would have done it."

"Even if that were true, which I don't think it is, it wasn't _anyone_ who did it, it was you. It is thanks to you that we have food to bring home to our pups and families. I'd be glad to take you hunting again next time."

Willow's chest swelled as she felt pride building inside her. She felt like, for the first time, Kate was seeing her for what she truly was; not a helpless outcast, but a huntress. A survivor.

As the wolves began to drag their spoils back to their dens, Garth thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and beheld two yellow eyes staring back at him from the forest.

"We've got company," he growled.

 **Sorry everyone, but I've no choice other than to make the chapters 500+ words instead of 1000+. On the upside, this new format should make the story feel smoother, and I should be able to post more chapters.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Art of War

**Chapter 7: The Art of War (504)**

 **"** **Those who fight blindly for their own honour can only win shame"**

Kate analysed the situation. They were on a gradual downward incline, made muddy and slippery from yesterday's rain. On either side was dense woodland. All the alphas were running down the hill at a breakneck pace trying to escape their attackers, but they were weighed down with the caribou. She knew that they had to either turn and fight or leave their bounty. In her eyes, there was never a choice. Shouting her order to the others, she planted her paws firmly in the ground before her. She leaned in as her back legs began to slide, performing a perfect spinout. At the last second, she lost her grip and slammed her muzzle into the slimy muck. Berating herself for not doing better, she scrambled to her feet and checked on the other alphas. They were a ways behind her at the bottom of the hill, forming a defensive circle around the caribou. As she re-joined them, she counted their numbers.

"Fuck," she muttered, "we're one wolf short."

There was no time to check who was missing. As she took her place at the leading edge of the circle, she saw the attackers encroaching upon them. Finally, she had the time to properly study them. They were skirmishers from the northern pack. That much was obvious. She looked for a leader, and to her surprise, she saw a familiar face at the head of the group. She cursed.

"If it isn't the _legendary_ Kate," sneered Nars, signalling for his wolves to surround the formation.

"What do you want?" Kate snorted, pawing the ground.

"It's obvious, isn't it? We're here to take your caribou." A vicious grin spread across his face. "And to prove to the world that legends aren't always true."

The golden female cocked an eyebrow.

"You do realise," she said, "That you're the only wolf to ever claim I'm a legend, right? Y'know what the saddest thing about this whole situation is?"

"I don't know and I don't care." Snarled Nars, his eyes narrowing to slits.

"To me, the games were just that. Games. I'd have happily let you win if you'd told me how much stress your father was giving you about it." Her voice grew softer, and her shoulders relaxed. "We were best friends, Nars. You let your pride get way out of hand."

For a moment, Nars seemed to collapse in on himself. His look of anger and scorn gave way to resentment and fear.

"What? No! I-" he stammered, and turned away.

"You can challenge us if that's what you really want, but every last one of us will fight to the death to feed our families. Hunting for yourselves would be much easier. The herd is exhausted, Nars. It would be pup's play. You could-"

"NO!" Shouted Nars. He swung back around to face Kate, his cyan eyes bloodshot. "We may have been friends in the past, but no more! You shamed me on purpose during the games, and I _will_ have my revenge. Northern pack, Attack!"


	8. Chapter 8: X

**Chapter 8: X (430)**

 **"At the coming of the light,**

 **is heard a piercing cannon-shot;**

 **the morning sun is crimson dyed**

 **with the white dove's purest blood."**

from the shadows, Willow watched vigilantly. She knew that showing herself would cause the northern wolves to panic, and panic was dangerously unpredictable. Instead, she opted to give Kate a chance to talk her way out of the situation first. When the order to attack was sounded however, Willow realised that talking had failed, and it was action's time to take up the banner.

"An army, like a wolf, is dead as soon as you cut off the head" she muttered as she moved on silent paws towards Nars, who stood laughing and savouring his impending victory.

She reached him unnoticed and swiped with her claws at his rear legs, hamstringing him. The wolf yelped with surprise and pain, but before he could turn around, Willow flipped him onto his back and pounced, tearing chunks of flesh from his throat. Nars coughed weakly, then went limp. A stream of rose-red blood flowed down the slope.

Willow's vision was blurred and reddened with adrenaline, but she still saw the sanguine stream make its way downhill. Kate jumped as it touched her paw. The alpha followed the stream to its source with growing horror on her expression. Even as the northern pack bolted to flee all round them, Kate made eye contact with Willow, who had the calculated, expressionless face and bloodshot eyes of a killer. Yet, even as she stared into Kate's eyes, something seemed to shift inside her. Her muscles relaxed and she narrowed her stance. She blinked twice and, looking down, realised she was still standing in her kill. She back paddled until she stood on clear dirt and took a deep breath.

"no…" Kate whispered, and started to walk towards the corpse. "No, no, no NO NO!" she screamed, quickening her pace to a run. She shoved Willow out of the way and buried her face in Nars' lifeless chest, sobbing. . Willow watched in horror as the golden alpha lifted her bloodied, contorted face toward her.

"You killed him." She growled, chewing each word and spitting it out like rotten meat.

"I… I didn't mean to…" the white wolf stammered, shuffling back in the mud with her tail tucked between her legs.

"Run. Leave our territory. Now. By sundown I want you out of Jasper."

Willow stumbled and fell, rolling onto her back as Kate hounded towards her, beared fangs gleaming in the sunlight.

"Kate, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to kill him! I saw him threatening you and got carried away," spluttered Willow, crawling backwards. Kate growled menacingly.

"Are you deaf? RUN!"

And run she did.

WHAT? A NEW CHAPTER? I KNOW RIGHT! It's a bit short, but hey. better than nothing xD.


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